TOP 100 PUBS – PRINCE OF WALES, FOXFIELD

 

img_20181221_1606391246238576.jpg
Rules

The Prince of Wales has been near the top of my “Must-Do” list for years; it’s one of the few classic UK pubs I’ve somehow missed, along with Devon’s Crewe Arms (what !) and Lord of the Isles at Renfrew’s indoor ski slope.

How exciting to do it on a gray December night the day before my birthday, after a journey from Barrow on a train that would have been laughed at as antiquated in Romania.

img_20181221_155322290174644.jpg
Jump off.  Now !

Foxfield

img_20181221_155313_1-1745106314.jpg
Proper station sign

I knew it was a famous beer house, but was it a “Proper Pub” ?

img_20181221_155338-709874928.jpg
Definition of “unprepossessing”
img_20181221_160834982432.jpg
Pub life
img_20181221_161223_11507989975.jpg
Yep, Cloudwater

A bit overwhelming, with all its gin boards, mead boards, bottle boards….

img_20181221_1604471804251772.jpg
Mind your rear
img_20181221_155646-1672530705.jpg
Scary beer menu

But never mind all that.  What an atmosphere ! Real people, a real boozer. The Olde Vic is Stockport is the best comparison I can give, although the Cow & Calf (RIP) in Cambridge would be a fair bet as well.  And I reckon I saw 50 pints pulled the half hour I was there.

A local (well, from Broughton) easing into a night in Ulv, made space at the bar.  Of course, he had to have lived in Cambridge (well, Cherry Hinton), didn’t he ?

I ordered the Cloudwater ESB, scarily cheap, and a crystal clear pint appeared before me.

img_20181221_155602173953308.jpg
Not actual head, by the way

It tasted pretty good, if drinking rather less than the purported 5.5%.

“Oi, that’s my pint you’re drinking” said the legendary Landlord.  I was halfway through his Townhouse, which made rather more sense.

So I had that as well as the ESB, which arrived shortly after.  And was nectar (NBSS 4.5). Easy to see why they get the Cloudwater gig.

I guess you can guess where this story is going.  No, not the piano.

img_20181221_160708-1644876278.jpg

Just as well someone remembered Foxfield is a request stop.

Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

31 thoughts on “TOP 100 PUBS – PRINCE OF WALES, FOXFIELD”

  1. “Rules”

    Plus the social commentary one; I’m a social drinker. When someone says they’ll have a drink I say ‘so shall’ I. 🙂

    “Jump off. Now !”

    Is that smoke rising from the front?

    “Definition of “unprepossessing””

    With the shape of those windows it almost looks like each one is an individual window display, like in stores.

    “Scary beer menu”

    A couple of nice Belgian beers there.

    “I was halfway through his Townhouse, which made rather more sense.”

    (chuckle)

    “Just as well someone remembered Foxfield is a request stop.”

    With that, plus drinking someone else’s beer, you’re definitely off to a good start. 😉

    Cheers

    Like

    Reply

      1. However Russ has missed out on the correct UK spelling of grey in the second par and the fact that it’s an organ not a piano.
        I fear our Canadian chum has been at the eggnog and maple syrup cocktails over the holidays.

        Liked by 2 people

      2. “I fear our Canadian chum has been at the eggnog and maple syrup cocktails over the holidays.”

        Beer, not that other muck. But, yes, guilty as charged; but only because today is both my birthday and anniversary. 🙂

        Liked by 3 people

  3. A rail buff might tell you that “a train that would have been laughed at as antiquated in Romania” is a very rare example of a proper train hauled by a class 37 locomotive and so far superior than all those new-fangled diesel multiple units.
    [ I am NOT a rail buff and have just looked that up on the new-fangled internet }

    I see complementary chestnuts near the fire which must have been a lovely seasonal variation from the usual Bombay Mix.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  4. That “Pub life” photo is glorious; reminds me a bit of the night I went to The Castle in Macclesfield. Not in the details necessarily, but just the authentic local feel of it. In the end it seems it’s this sort of place, rather than the impressively grand “museum pubs,” that wins our affection.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    2. I don’t remember so many women in the Castle.
      But all I really remember the Castle for is ‘lates’.
      When young one wants pubs serving late in day, when old it’s early in the day. Now why’s that ?

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    3. I lived in Macc 1983-1989, near to the Dolphin – a fine local – but when in town the Bate Hall was the regular stop. To this day, I can’t quite remember why…

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. Richard,
      You would probably enjoy doing Wainwright’s Coast To Coast Walk as that gives you plenty of Cumberland and Westmorland – or Cumbria as you put it – AND many miles across Yorkshire.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

      2. Fifteen years ago an old pal in Liverpool suggested I organised a long distance walk for us and I thought the Coast To Coast would be better than the Pennine Way. Twelve days for it suited him and wasn’t then a challenge for me. I think I booked six nights in youth hostels and six nights in pubs, the latter then being about £20 for bed and breakfast. Soon though that Julia Bradbury did a series of programmes on t’Coast to Coast and within a year the B&B had shot up to £50 or more a night. I dread her doing a series about Sam Smiths pubs this spring and us paying over £3 a pint for Humphrey’s OBB by t’autumn.
        You’ve got to do these things when you can. The Coast to Coast would be no good with chronic arthritis of the knee and Cedric’s Morcambe Bay would be ‘challenging’ on a mobility scooter.

        Like

Leave a comment